Guru-Bhakti YogaHis teaching on the Guru
PRACTICE OF GURU-BHAKTI
The Principle of Adaptability
l. Adaptability is a rare virtue or noble quality, by which the disciple adapts or fits himself with his Guru, whatever his nature may be.
2. Nowadays the vast majority of aspirants do not know how to adjust and accommodate themselves with Guru-Bhais.
3. The disciple must know how to adapt and adjust with his Guru.
4. Humility and obedience are necessary for developing Guru-Bhakti.
5. When the disciple does not know how to adapt himself with his co-disciples who are living under the same Guru, friction comes and he will displease his Guru.
6. The captain of a ship is ever alert. A fisherman is ever alert. A surgeon in the operation-theatre is ever alert. Even so a thirsting hungry disciple should be ever alert in the service of his Guru.
Essentials of Discipleship
7. A drowsy, dull, heavy, inactive, sluggish, stupid-minded disciple cannot serve his Guru to his satisfaction.
8. A disciple who is endowed with the virtue of application gets success in the service of his Guru. Prosperity and immortality are his attendants.
9. Disciple should have aspiration or burning desire to serve his Guru.
10. Devotion to Guru is the one true aim of all right human aspirations.
11. Disciple should have an attentive ear when he studies under a Guru and he should have an attentive eye when he serves him.
12. Disciple should behave well with his Guru, parents, elders, saints and sages of all claims.
13. To behave well means to conduct well oneself with his Guru.
14. Guru can know the nature of the disciple and the nature of his mind from his behaviour.
15. Good behaviour with his holy master is a passport to the abode of bliss.
16. Disciple should not be whimsical when he serves his Guru.
17. Behaviour is expression of practical knowledge which is derived from the service of one’s Guru.
18. Divine virtues and noble qualities cannot be purchased from the shops. These can be acquired through faith, devotion and service to Guru for a long time.
Self-giving to Guru
19. Give Guru-Dakshina cheerfully, quickly without hesitation, and in plenty to your Guru after acquiring knowledge.
20. Guru-Dakshina covereth multitude of sins.
21. Dakshina given to Guru is a great purifier of heart.
22. Dakshina which is given to Guru is love in action.
23. Cultivate a generous feeling for the welfare of all Guru-Bhais.
24. Charity begins with his own Guru.
25. Giving Dakshina to Guru must become habitual.
26. Disciple must offer with love whatever he has to his Guru.
27. Disciple must be contented with whatever food, clothes and shelter he gets from his Guru and apply himself in the service of Guru with whole heart and soul.
28. It is contentment that alone gives strength and joy to an aspirant while serving his Guru under all circumstances.
29. Be always contented with what happens. Know that what Guru, the exalted one, chooses is better than what you choose.
30. Guru’s Grace can descend only on worthy disciple who is endowed with contentment.
31. Disciple must use his commonsense while serving his Guru.
The Ingredient of Discrimination
32. Discrimination dawns in the heart of a disciple through the grace of Guru, the exalted one.
33. He who is endowed with discrimination surely will have Guru’s Grace.
34. Do your duty to your Guru and desire nothing.
35. Duty of a disciple is to carry out promptly and faithfully the orders of his Guru.
36. Be exact in doing even your little duties towards your Guru. You will derive much joy and peace.
37. In the service of Guru there is no such thing as menial service.
38. Service to Guru means surrender unto him.
39. All services are sacred and sublime.
40. Performance of one’s own duty towards Guru is the practice of true religion.
41. Duty performed towards one’s Guru is a moral tonic. It fills the heart with divine virtues. It strengthens the mind and heart.
Complete Surrender
42. An earnest and sincere disciple gives his whole heart and soul to the service of his preceptor.
43. An earnest disciple finds means to serve his Guru, under all circumstances.
44. He who endures all the difficulties while serving his Guru conquers his lower nature.
45. Disciple must be ever grateful to his Guru who has shown the path to peace.
46. An ungrateful disciple is a miserable wretch on this earth. His lot is pitiable, lamentable and deplorable indeed.
Enthronement of Guru
48. I bow down to the great Guru, the First and Perfect Being, the Revealer of the sacred Vedas, who like a bee extracts the essence of the Vedas, comprising Jnana, Vijnana, and gives it to his devotees.
49. The true disciple should enthrone in the recesses of his heart the Lotus-Feet of his revered Guru.
50. The first and foremost duty of a disciple when he meets his Guru is to salute him with all humility.
51. In the Bhagavata, the story is told of an Avadhutha who had twenty-four Upagurus, viz., the five elements, the Sun, the Moon, the sea, animals, etc., which though insignificant, taught him each in its own way the Supreme Knowledge.
52. He is the best of disciples, who, with one-pointed mind, without thinking of aught else, worships his Guru alone.
53. When Sattva increases in an aspirant, he becomes righteous and develops true devotion to his Guru.
54. The Guru is but the embodiment of equal vision and therefore looks upon all his disciples alike.
55. Krishna says to Uddhava: “I am Vasishtha among Priests; and Brihaspati among Preceptors; I am Narayana among Sages and Sanatkumara among celibates.”
56. When disciple is serving under his Guru, he should never make others serve him. This is a great obstacle for him to grow in spirituality.
57. Bring glory to your Guru by making them Guru Bhais. This is the royal way to develop Guru-Bhakti.
Humility Above Erudition
58. Even if you are a man of great erudition and rich, you must be very humble before Guru, and great souls.
59. A disciple, who is not learned but who is an embodiment of humility, is very much loved by his Guru.
60. If you want to drink water at the tap, you will have to bend yourself. Even so if you want to drink the spiritual nectar of immortality which flows from Holy lips of Guru you will have to be an embodiment of humility and meekness.
61. Guru’s grace descends upon those who feel utterly humble and faithful to him.
62. There is no better flower than humility to worship the Lotus-Feet of the Master.
Meaning of Faith
63. Faith is confidence and trust in Guru.
64. Faith is belief in statements, utterances, actions, writings and teachings of one’s holy preceptor and great souls.
65. Faith is firm conviction of the truth of what is declared by preceptor by way either of testimony, or authority without any other evidence or proof.
66. Have perfect faith in Guru and surrender your entire being unto Him. He will take care of you. All fear, obstacles and tribulations will vanish in toto.
67. Firm faith in Sat-Guru elevates the soul, purifies the heart and leads to Self-realisation.
68. Disciples’ motto must be intense faith in the Teachings of Guru.
Nature of Obedience
69. Obedience is willingness to obey the commands of Guru and elders.
70. Only the disciple who obeys his Guru can have command over his lower self.
71. From obedience to Guru springs all other divine virtues, such as humility, devotion, egolessness, etc.
72. True obedience to Guru neither procrastinates nor questions.
73. Obedience to Guru is the mother of success in all undertakings.
74. True obedience to Guru is the performance of what is commanded by him and abstaining from what is prohibited.
75. A hypocritical disciple obeys his Guru from fear. The true disciple obeys his Guru with pure love, for love’s sake.
76. Let the disciple’s first lesson be obedience to Guru.
77. Goodness is a river that flows from the Lotus-Feet of the Lord by the path of obedience to Guru.
78. If the heart of the disciple is not satisfied, it shows that obedience to Guru is not fully observed by the disciple.
79. Your offerings please Guru according to your zeal and Bhava and not according to their nature.
80. The disciple should serve his master with great zeal and care.
The Spiritual Etiquette
81. Give yourself to the service of Acharya. Offer the body, the mind and soul, with great enthusiasm.
82. The dynamic aspect of faith to Guru means absolute self-surrender to his Lotus-Feet.
83. Be very regular in your daily routine of Guru-Seva.
84. Be clock-like in your daily personal service to Acharya.
85. The sign of humility is to respect the preceptor and saints of all climes.
86. Do not talk in a loud voice in the presence of Acharya and venerable persons.
87. Faith in the words of Guru is the master-key to unlock the gate of Immortality.
88. When you are a disciple of a great Guru, never try to make others your disciples and to become a self-styled Guru. Treat them as your Guru Bhais.
89. Better not to have a Guru and to wander in the desert of life, than to have a Guru and deceive and desert him.
90. Man who is a slave of lust cannot serve and surrender to his Guru and save himself from the quagmire of Samsara.
The Binding Force
91. To deceive Guru is means to dig one’s own grave.
92. The binding force between Guru and disciple must be pure love.
93. Grace of Guru plus disciple’s effort brings forth the child of Immortality.
94. Guru should not accept Guru-Dakshina from his disciple unless he imparts knowledge to him.
95. Disciple should hoist the flag of the Guru’s glory throughout his life.
96. Dedication to the Lotus-Feet of Guru must be the ideal of the disciple
97. Guru is great. Do not be afraid of adversities, march on, O Heroic disciple!
98. Guru’s grace is greater than atomic force.
99. Adversities which fall on the shoulders of disciple are blessings of Guru in disguise.
100. Dedication to the Lotus-Feet of Guru must be the watch word of true disciple.
Service of Guru
101. If you are lucky enough to serve your Guru who is all love and bliss, the service becomes supreme bliss and there is infinite joy.
102. Serve your Guru humbly, willingly, unquestioningly, unassumingly, ungrudgingly, untiringly and lovingly.
103. If you surrender to the Lotus-Feet of Guru, who is God on earth, he will guard you from pitfalls, goad you in your Sadhana and guide you to the goal ultimate.
104. Guru’s grace is inexhaustible, immeasurable and indescribable.
105. Incurable diseases are cured by taking Guru’s Ucchishta Prasad.
106. You have to attain that beyond which there is nothing to attain, viz., faith in the Guru.
107. This faith in the Guru will lead you to the ultimate good in twinkling of an eye.
108. Have faith, faith, faith in the words and actions of Guru. This is the way to develop Guru-Bhakti.